Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1120’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1120’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early season flowering response; inflorescences with hot cherry pink-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER1120’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER1120’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2001 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number Z-7, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary Poinsettia selection identified as X-47, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar PER1090 wad discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. in December, 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive flower bract colors and good plant form and substance.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar PER1120 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER1120’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER1120’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounted plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in about 8.5 weeks in Encinitas,         California.     -   6. Inflorescences with hot cherry pink-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif. plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the female parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the female parent         selection have light red-colored flower bracts.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more vigorous than plants of         the male parent section.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the male parent         selection have bright red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettia cultivar Peterstar Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants         of the cultivar Peterstar Pink.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Peterstar Pink.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and cultivar Peterstar Pink         differed in flower bract color.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the Poinsettia cultivar 490 Pink, Disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,817. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar 490 Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants         of the cultivar 490 Pink.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered later than plants of         the cultivar 490 Pink.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and cultivar 490 Pink differed         in flower bract color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the bottom of sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER1120’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘PER1120’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate these generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levels were about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were about 14 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar PER1120. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number Z-7, not             patented. Male, or pollen, parent: Proprietary selection of             Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number X-47,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences             positioned above the foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 53 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about seven to eight lateral branches develop after             pinching. Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.5 cm. Width: About 7.8 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Minute pubescence. Surface: Rugose. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage,             lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Darker than 147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 147A; venation, 147C. Petiole: Length: About             6.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             183B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are             not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned             above the foliage.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence             initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod             conditions. Mid-season flowering; response time, about 8.5             weeks under natural season conditions in Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good             substance and bract color for about four weeks under             interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 42 cm. Height (depth):             About 5.5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 22. Length,             largest bracts: About 16.2 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             9.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate Base: Obtuse to             slightly attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Slightly upright to             horizontal. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: 53C. Developing or             transitional bracts, lower surface: 53D. Fully developed             bracts, upper surface: 53D; color becoming closer to 51A             with development. Fully developed bracts, lower surface:             52A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower             bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 53B.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 2.5 cm by 3.4 cm. Length: About 9 mm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 146B. Color,             mature: 146C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About one to             two. Size: About 4 mm by 5 mm. Color: 23A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             ten. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: 53B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: 5A. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about     30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1120’ as illustrated and described. 